Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Preschool in a Museum

I love this. It's a wonderful idea and I hope it's very successful.

Strong Museum to Open Preschool

It will begin enrolling 3- and 4-year-olds for in-house program
Katy StechStaff writer

(November 27, 2005)

A city children's museum is about to turn into a classroom for about 50 kids. On Thursday, Strong Museum will start taking applications for a preschool it's creating where children will learn in the environment officially deemed "The National Museum of Play."

"Essentially, the whole museum will be their classroom," said Betty Bordner, Strong's early childhood educator.The children will spend time learning among the downtown museum's first-floor exhibits as well as in two exhibits that are under construction as part of a $33 million expansion of the museum.

The expansion will include a multilevel play area decorated to match five book genres, including a fantasy forest and a Nancy Drew-like mystery mansion.

"Being a museum and not a school, we're able to involve kids in learning that is a little more out of the box," Bordner said.

Opening in September, the preschool's sessions will last 2½ hours for several days each week, depending on the child's age and the time of the session. Each class will have 14 students; fees range from $1,325 to $3,230 a year.

Teachers will lead the classes under the theory that children learn through play, a philosophy the museum adopted in 1997 when it opened an interactive Sesame Street exhibit, said Susan Trien, spokeswoman for the museum.

Since then, Strong has moved from a traditional, austere format to a more interactive one that children can visit repeatedly.Tuesday marked the third time that 5-year-old Liam Lidie of Shortsville, Ontario County, visited with his mother, Emily.

His enthusiasm has been high each time, Liam's mother said as she watched him make a monster out of a paper plate, purple construction paper and a green crayon. "Just when you think you've done it all, the kids always find something fresh," Lidie said. METRO@DemocratandChronicle.com

Japan


Interesting ideas on childcare.

Day-care Centers a Sure Bet for Pachinko Parlors
11/28/2005
The Asahi Shimbun Asahi Shimbun - Tokyo, Japan

Sometimes it pays to take a little time out for oneself ... or does it?

It's a question currently doing the rounds of the nation's pachinko industry as an increasing number of pachinko parlors move to set up adjacent day-care centers. The idea, say operators, is to give stressed-out moms a break and let them play pachinko knowing that their tots are in good hands.

Critics, however, say providing "pachinko" day care could lead to mothers developing serious gambling habits. And while they acknowledge it is better than leaving kids in the car while moms and dads try their luck at the machines--as is known to happen--there is no guarantee of safety.

A 2005 white paper on leisure by the Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development, found that 8.3 percent of women, or about 5.4 million, played the slot machine/pinball hybrid more than once last year.

One such fan, a 40-year-old homemaker from Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, has no qualms about leaving her 1-year-old at Little Cat, a day-care center in the complex where she plays pachinko about five times a month.

"It really helps, because I can concentrate (on pachinko)," she says.

She tries to arrive at Handa Korona World on the outskirts of Handa at opening time, and leaves her child at the third-floor day-care center for about six to seven hours while she sits at the machines.

She says she checks on her child every four hours, a rule enforced by the center, but promptly returns to the game after signing up for a few hours more.

"I feel sorry for my child, but if the two of us stayed at home all day I would feel suffocated."
On good days, she wins about 30,000 yen. On bad days, she loses more.

She reckons the few thousand yen she spends on day care each time is "cheap considering that pachinko is my only stress-reliever."

TK Support Tot Mate, a Nagoya-based day-care provider that runs Little Cat, says on busy days, the center cares for about 20 children at any given time. Generally, say TK Support staff, the children are aged between six months to eight years. Several staff, all licensed in child care, supervise each shift.

Inside the 65-square-meter facility, toys are scattered around the floor and, aside from the children's chatter, it is remarkably quiet. A staff member says that's because it was carefully set aside from the noisy pachinko and game parlors.

Parents pay 1,000 yen an hour to have their kids looked after, but only 500 yen if they provide a receipt of money spent in the complex's pachinko parlor or movie theater.

"More than 90 percent of our customers are young homemakers who enjoy pachinko. We also get questions regarding child-rearing (from these customers)," says a company official.

TK Support has so far formed business ties with five pachinko-related complexes in Aichi, Kanagawa and Gunma prefectures.

The company also plans to open four more day-care centers in Aichi Prefecture in the next year.
Petit-Mathew, a day-care center that opened last December in the Million 1100 Asaka game complex in Asaka City, Saitama Prefecture, offers more than a simple baby-sitting service. Staff there read books to children, teach them how to play cards as well as write Japanese characters.
"The center even educates my child. Their services are thorough and more convenient than nursery schools or kindergartens," says a 29-year-old homemaker who leaves her 1-year-old daughter at Petit-Mathew almost daily.

Plans 21, a Tokyo-based event-planning company that runs Petit-Mathew, hopes to eventually incorporate private English lessons and early childhood education courses at the center. "We need to give stressed-out women time for themselves," says a Plans 21 official.

The move to set up day -care facilities follows a series of incidents in which children left unattended in cars parked in pachinko parlor parking lots died of dehydration.

But officials of Zenichiuen, an association for pachinko and slot machine parlor operators, are not so sure the pachinko and child-care industries are so well suited.

"We have doubts about whether opening day-care centers can ensure the safety of children or whether it will attract more female customers," said an association official.

Hitoshi Tanabe, executive director of the Hokkaido Mental Health Welfare Center and a psychiatrist who has written books on gambling addiction, is similarly concerned. He warns that, "People who leave their children at day-care centers for long periods to gamble have a high possibility of becoming dependent on gambling."

Tanabe says he feels a sense of urgency with regard to the rising number of women who suffer from gambling dependency.

"We are seeing an increase in inquiries from homemakers. We need a social structure that improves the community in which women are dependent on gambling," he says.

The Garden School Tattler


We had a spectacular day yesterday. I liked the music best. Mr Ty, an outstanding first grader, and general - let's leave the word there - was eager to sing Jingle Bells. Most of the little kids are happy to sing the chorus, but there are three verses we have been working on, and he seemed delighted with all the words. We will be sending our music home as I think to do it.

We start with the two French songs, and then move to a selection of children's music and classical Christmas carols. I am eager to see what this year's group can do. Last year, we had a group of children who just didn't want to sing. It was interesting.

It's a lot like food. There are applesauce years, corn and rice years, cottage cheese and orange years. This year, the applesauce is an all time poo poo, and the favorite side dish is green salad with cheese.

We are desperately trying to get an art show together for next week. It won't be a party, just a show when you come in. There will be little framed paintings on the tables with a little price tag for parents to buy for Christmas. This will pay for our Christmas field trip. Are there any suggestions about field trip?

The toy contest was fun, but something else happened that is the kind of thing that's just fabulous. One of the toys was just plain cute - Snorta. We all sat down again and again and played Snorta. The kids just love the animal sounds. Well I wrote something about the game, and it was seen on one of the web sites where I'm published, and the maker of the game sent me an email. We've been writing back and forth, and he has sent the school a few games. His name is Matt Mariani. It's such a nice thing for him to do. We will all take time out to thank him.

Things are really rolling at school. We are working on so many projects, I just hope to be able to get it all done by Christmas. I hope each and every one of you is delighted.

Please take a look at your child's angel string about next week. Every day your child can win an angel or more. He has to keep his medal, and then he can do something nice for someone else. Every angel a child wins inches his way toward the big Santa prize.

We will be looking for a new teacher until we find one. We are looking for someone who will take an interest in our program and understand that the care and the feeding of children is our primary goal, and that care is "an enhancement of home."

We are also looking for someone who is interested in the world around them. I've fudged a bit on this lately, but realize that an interest in the world and a basic knowledge is important to the academic running of the place.

Here's my little academic test:

Geography: Can you pick out Iceland, Ireland, Israel on the map and tell me why Ivory Coast is not a soap product.

History: Which was longer the Renaissance or the Middle Ages - which came first?

Literature: Read Jabberwocky out loud

Science: Tell me about the earth's water cycle.

Fine art: Define it.

When we interview someone, we take it for granted that they can do simple math and read simple words and have been trained to teach these things to children. But it is not always the case that someone has an interest or a knowledge of other things children should know. Teachers should read more than catalogues and more than news stand junk. Teachers should read great books and worthwhile novels - that's just an opinion.

So onward and upward. Good grief I'm cheery for the Christmas season!

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Teacher Search


The Garden School is looking for a new teacher. If you or someone you know would like to interview for this job, please contact us tomorrow after 6:15 a.m. at 812 - 475-0277.


The GS is an academic based early childhood year round school for children ages 3-7. For more information, call us. We are an equal opportunity employer.

More about Children's Illness


Everybody’s going to get sick. If it isn't the flu or a cold, it's bronchitis, sinus infection, elephantiasis, beriberi, and pox are some of the delights of living too close in over heated rooms wearing skimpy clothes and eating a host of nutrition-less food while being sleep deprived.

Let’s track illness. In an adult, there is a sudden sluggishness. We just don’t feel quite right. We’re more than tired; we’re pooped! Then there’s that little nagging cough, or headache, or that peripheral nausea or scratchiness in the throat. We consume a couple of analgesics.

By the next day, two things have happened. Either we are confoundedly ill, or we’ve beaten the bug, and it takes a day or so of care to get back to a normal high.

The truth is, we have either accommodated the impending infection by refusing to care for ourselves, or we’ve bombarded it with sleep and hydration and our immune system has over ridden it.

It’s the same with children. The difference is most likely in the fact that children will wake up with the sudden sluggishness. It’s at this point the choice of sending them to school, to day care or to babysitting with other children and keeping them at home will make the difference between encouraging the illness to blossom and wellness.

It’s at this point, many parents think, “Well, he’s not too sick, and if I give him a couple of pain relievers, nobody will notice.” And the parent sends the child to a crowded room of children whose parents had the same idea.

If five children in fifty are incubating the flu, colds, bronchitis, and a sinus infection, how many children will be targets for the same illnesses? Probably thirty more. The other fifteen kids have parents who care, and when their child wakes up with a headache, stomach ache, a sore throat or a cough, they keep them home and these children fight it off.

Ever wonder why some children are rarely absent because of illness? First, look at their eyes, watch them eat, and look at their clothes. These things are signs of wellness.

The eyes will tell you just how much sleep a child has had. Children need twelve hours in twenty-four. Sleep is real rest. If it’s regular, and consistent, and in the same bed seven nights a week, a child will have bright interested eyes. He feels good. He has energy. Energy is the body’s green light for growth and development – development of an immune system that can fight off illness easily.

Diet and sleep are strongly interlocked. Tired children can’t eat. They pick at everything and can’t seem to get the fork into the mouth; it’s too much effort – except for sweets. If a child picks through nutritious foods and seems to survive on junk, his diet is catch up. He’s surviving on empty calories. His body is moving, but his development is nominal.

Another signal for well children is their clothes. Short sleeves and shorts in winter means houses are too hot. Hot dry houses are breeding grounds for infection. Well children play well without the furnace cranked up to 70 degrees.

Try turning the heat down one degree a week for six weeks. Most children will adapt to longer clothes and be more comfortable. They will sleep better and therefore eat better. Then, when they wake up feeling ill, they will have an easier time fighting off a virus or infection.

Take care of the child from the inside out.

Monday, November 28, 2005

The Garden School Tattler


Well it was a bear of a day. We lost a teacher today. It's always sad to say goodbye to someone, especially someone special, but at the same time, it's good to know that one of our teachers will go on to do great things out in the bigger world. I am always proud to know that we have launched yet another bright light in the world.

But back down in the sand box, we have a lot of changes to make. Mrs. St. Louis will move into Miss Rachel's room, and Miss Judy will teach the kindergarten class. I tried it today and loved it. I've taught for years, preschool, nursery school, pre-K, and of course the French, Music, Geography, and History to the whole school. So being in a classroom with a small group was really exciting. I love the children and we had a really nice day. We practiced writing our names using spacing and letter size. We did a lot of math today sorting, counting and fun with the numbers on the calendar.

We worked a lot on matching upper case letters with lower case letters, and we had graham crackers and milk as a snack. The only thing we failed to do was art which is what I wanted to do best, so tomorrow, after Officer Friendly comes, we'll do a lot of art.

In French class we prayed en Francais, and sang Il est ne le devin enfant, and Unflambeau Jeanette Isabella. And then sang Jingle Bells, Away in a Manger, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. We will add one song to our repertoire every day until we sing Santa Claus to school on the 22.

We had spaghetti at the last minute with fresh fruit and salad and bread. Tomorrow it's ham for sure.

Since the play, we've been ruthless about taking medals. They are not re-earnable. Every day a child keeps his medal, he will get a paper angel. The boy and girl who win the most angels will win the Santa Prize on the 22. Good deeds win angels as well.

Beve Pietrowski will be taking pictures on the 12th of December. It's her only free date. She said she will have the pictures shortly after Christmas. What a neat New Year's gift! She's a great photographer. Please view her work in the front hall of the school.

Still thinking about Narnia as a field trip - any comments about that? Is it too scary for the little guys?

Sending Children Home Sick


Here's a question frequently asked:

Q: My child was sent home from his child care situation three times one week because he was not feeling well. He had a headache but no fever. Is really necessary to send him home for that?

Answer: Yes. Good child care situations will always send children home when providers even suspect a child is ill. It’s not a matter of choice. It’s a matter of responding to the child. And good parents are also quick to respond to the needs of their ill children.

The first and best reason for sending children home where they can be watched one on one is a good provider doesn’t know if a child has a headache because he’s tired, is getting the flu or has the beginnings spinal meningitis.

It’s the same with stomach ache. Is it upset stomach from flu, constipation, or appendicitis?
Leaving either of the worst scenarios to develop is neglect—even if it’s ignorance.

This is really a parent question more than a provider question. The one and only choice a provider has is to send any child home whose behavior indicates that he or she needs more than day care or school care. Teachers are not nurses, and other children are at risk.

Day care policies on illness might vary, but the state board of health does not. Children who are ill cannot be around other children. Illness is: fever of 99, stomach ache, vomiting, lice, earache or infection, and a host of other things too numerous to list.

The hard calls are the non specifics like “puny.” An old word to express the idea that something is not right. A child is puny while he is coming down with something, when he’s ill for sleep deprivation, or very upset about something he can’t talk about. He really needs his mommy.

Besides, sending Sarah home when she is puny will probably save ten children from coming down with what Sarah is getting. And if Sarah is sleep deprived, then a good rest in her own bed will do more for her than a nap on a cot at day care.

But sending a child home won’t help if mom doesn’t take the child home. Work is no place for a child who is ill. The child who at this point is hyper susceptible is ripe for double trouble.

Another hard call is the chronically ill child. Wentworth has thirty seven earaches every year. Then Wentworth may have to see his doctor thirty seven times. These kiddie complaints are real. They can’t just go untreated. A child losing his hearing or a child spending his energy treating his own pain is a child who is being neglected.

Anne has “allergies” that come with lots of coughing, sneezing, and visible drainage—all winter long. It’s amazing how many children catch Anne’s “allergies.” Anne needs to be treated if such “allergies” are infected—the first time—and again every time—even if it means five trips to the doctor. Anne also needs a note from the doctor that says she can play around other children.

The best thing providers can do for parents and children is to create a policy that says: When a child is having trouble playing, learning, or participating because she is obviously not in her usual healthy state -- she goes home -- to be observed by a loving adult.

The best rule of thumb a parent can go by is: if my child needs medication in the morning—Tylenol, cough syrup, antibiotics to bring down fever, Kayopectate, Peptobismal, or ear drops to stop the pain, any over the counter meds just to get him up and moving, he doesn’t belong in child care.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Battling Illness


When illness strikes a child at the busiest time of the year, parents are often torn between trying to minimize his illness with over the counter medications or biting the bullet and taking the child to see his doctor.

Advice from public healthcare authorities is simple: diagnose the symptoms early and treat them properly. Seems simple enough, but let’s look at what the average parent must endure to satisfy this simple directive.

By the time a parent takes time off work to fight holiday traffic to see a doctor who may or may not see what the parent sees in his child, it’s already become more than simple. It’s become an aggravation zone.

The wait of an hour or two in a crowded office with other ill children sharing the same toys, then being told it’s an allergy when no one in the family has allergies, the child has never had an allergy, and the allergy is mimicking a severe cold is frustrating. Add an expensive medication that doesn’t work.

Perhaps the real issue begins with preventive medicine. Keeping a child well to begin with may just be the key to fewer doctor’s visits and a much healthier happier child.

Six things to think about and consider:

Everybody, especially children will stay healthier in cooler rooms. Turn the heat down. Try setting heat in the mid sixties. Still in simmer t-shirts? Newsflash - It’s winter; put on a sweater.

Fresh air every couple of hours refreshes and stimulates the body. Get kids moving outside as often as possible. A few minutes of cold air will increase breathing and that’s always a good thing. Airing out rooms, blankets, and pillows helps as well.

Drink water in place of sugared drinks. A steady stream of sugar makes a high demand on the body while water cleanses and renews the body. If you thought your doctor’s visit was helped along by soda pop, think of what soda is actually costing you.

When a child is half comatose on a sofa in front of TV, send him to bed. Any extra sleep a child can get, night or day, will help keep him well. Children who go to bed before 8:00 PM are ill less often than the night owls.

Learn to wash hands properly and do it frequently. Remind a child to wash his hands with soap throughout any day. No child should walk into a house, come to the table or leave the bathroom without washing his hands.

Make sure that half the snacks a child eats count as something valuable on the food chart. Some children’s snacks are not identifiable. If a child takes a cookie, put milk with it. If a child wants a candy bar, put an apple with it. If he is looking for chips, put a slice of cheese with it. Toaster pastry? Try a banana.

Know illness from complaint: Illness is a fever of over 99, vomiting, diarrhea, spots, pus spots on tonsils or throat, eye crust, earache, and most perniciously green mucus. Green means infection allergy or not.

The truth is, the sooner an ill child gets medical attention the sooner he will be well. Dragging out illnesses is hard on children. Know your illness and if necessary, call your physician. Don’t be afraid to speak to your doctor frankly; he should work with you.

Then start over again by turning down the heat, drink water instead of sweet drinks, wash hands frequently, eat well, sleep a lot and go out side as much as possible.

Keeping Ill Children Home


With the news scare about diseases like SARS, a new awareness of children’s health may be in order.

Keeping children home when they’re ill is always a battle of wits. Getting to work because of tough bosses and tougher schedules seem to be turning mother and fatherhood against caring for the child. Now we have a deadly respiratory disease to add to our worries.

The modern assumption is that illness is “any body ailment we can’t hide.”

Sometimes loading a child down with over the counter medications in hopes that he can get through the day care or school doors, seems the best choice. The child looks fine because the Tylenol has kicked in, the cough medicine has relieved a hacking cough, or the Kayopectate has momentarily stopped the uncontrollable diarrhea.

Ten minutes after drop off, the child reports to a friend or a teacher, “I threw up last night five times.” Or he runs to the bathroom and has explosive diarrhea, and then says he did that last night as well.

My favorite is the child with allergies. He has allergies that cause an indescribable and profuse drainage that is the color of grass. The allergies pop up about every two months even in a snow storm, and cause a fever, coughing, vomiting and diarrhea and end in an ear infection.

Allergies, of course, don’t need to be treated. Allergies are simply an idiosyncrasy of a particular child’s makeup. Interestingly enough, most of these allergies are contagious and spread not only to the other students, but to the teachers as well.

The question parents ask most often about ill children is, “Can the child make it through the day?”

First, it’s against the law to send an ill child to school. The state board of health designates that children who have a fever of 99, have vomited in the past 24 hours, have a festering cough, profuse mucus, diarrhea in 24 hours, or spots may not come to school.

Second, the child is not an adult, and often can’t express himself well enough to say, “Mom or Dad, I’m really sick, I just can’t go to school today.”

And third, over the counter medications are not made to hide illnesses. They are made to relieve minor discomforts for short periods.

When children come to school holding their stomachs, or walk in to find a table to lay their head on, or curl up on the futon because they can’t stay awake, they are ill. It’s obvious that they are suffering. And what was once minor stuff, has turned deadly.

Keeping children home from school when they are ill promotes a healthier environment at school. It may even curb something as deadly as SARS. Children make other children ill.

Here are some guidelines to help parents understand children’s illnesses:
  • Keep a child home the first day of an illness; he will be ill a shorter time.
  • Find a comfortable back up provider who will take an ill child or call sick bay at the local hospital.
  • Make sure your child’s dinner diet contains fruit, vegetables, protein (meat, cheese, eggs) and whole grains (like crackers) every night.
  • When your child runs a fever, he needs to see a doctor.
  • When your child’s nasal discharge is more than he can blow out, see the doctor.


Saturday, November 26, 2005

Ill children


Here's a really irritating article which takes business, parents, and doctors into account but seems to miss the boat on the subject of the study - namely the kids. If a child really requires medication when he first awakens in the morning, if he vomits, has diarrhea, a toothache, a stomach ache, a profound head ache or so much slimy or stuck mucus he or she can't breathe or lift his head, no matter how many days he has had this physical complaint - keep him home. If he or she is running any kind of a fever (99 is a fever for my naturally 96.4 body) he needs to stay home. He simply doesn't feel well, and school with other children is not only unfair to the ill child, it's not fair to the well child. Parnets - my favorite typo - should remember that children feel worse ill than adults, and that a headache or a stomach ache they can't reason with is just a torment. As far as the rash goes, it could be berryberry - so keep him home.

When is a Child Too Sick for Day Care?
Bloomberg News Service
Originally published November 25, 2005

If your child has a temperature of 100 degrees, do you keep him home from day care?

A survey of more than 250 U.S. parents, pediatricians and day-care providers found that about one-third of the time respondents were wrong about this and other questions regarding when to keep young kids home because of illness.

Pediatricians were inaccurate most often, failing 39 percent of the time to identify the right reasons as described in guidelines accepted by the American medical profession.

Parents needlessly are taking time off from work to stay at home with children they think are too sick to attend day care, according to the study led by Kristen Copeland, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

American workers spend about 25 percent of sick-leave days taking care of an ill child or other relative, according to a 2000 U.S. Department of Labor report.

"The most surprising finding is that pediatricians did no better than child-care providers and parents" in assessing which conditions required children to be kept out of day care, said Copeland. Her results appear in the November-December issue of Ambulatory Pediatrics.

Copeland's study was based on surveys completed in 2000 by 80 child-care providers, 142 parents and 36 pediatricians. To evaluate their answers, the study relied upon the guidelines adopted jointly by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the U.S. government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Given a list of 12 common symptoms, the pediatricians gave the wrong advice 39 percent of the time, including 37 percent of the time in cases where they should have advised the parent to let the child attend day care. Child-care providers gave wrong answers, as measured by the joint guidelines, 37 percent of the time, and the parents were wrong 36 percent of the time.

The joint guidelines indicate that three of the 12 symptoms described in Copeland's survey do not require children to be kept home: a new rash without other symptoms, five days of green or yellow discharge from the nose and redness of the eyes with watery discharge.

A majority of the pediatricians, 53 percent, incorrectly cited the eye redness as sufficient to keep children home, the study found. The guidelines recommend keeping children home if their temperature is 101 degrees or higher if measured in the mouth or 100 degrees or higher if taken under the arm. Pediatricians knew the former correctly 86 percent of the time, and the latter only 60 percent of the time, according to the study.

The high rate of incorrect responses among physicians could be due to several possible factors, including disagreement with the guidelines and variations in the types of patients seen by those participating in the survey, Copeland said.

Friday, November 25, 2005

Washington State


Here's another Union article. It's the wave of the future. More than fifty percent of children who attend childcare outside the home attend a family day care. It's big industry, and now it may get a voice.

At-home Child Care Operators to Join UnionWith Vote Providers Make Move Toward First ContractBy PAUL NYHAN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Washington state at-home child care operators overwhelmingly voted to join the Service Employees International Union this weekend, taking a step toward their first union contract.
The vote does not mean people who run child care out of their homes will immediately open contract talks with the state. Instead, union membership gives these 10,000 operators leverage to push for a new state law that would allow them to start bargaining.

Providers said they needed leverage because the number of home-based child care centers is falling, partly, they say, because the state's rate of reimbursement is so low that many make less than the state's minimum wage of $7.35 an hour. The state pays providers for part of the cost of caring for low-income and disabled children.

"I think the most important (issue) is that the subsidy rate has to increase because all children deserve quality child care," said Kathy Yasi, who runs Adventure Day Care out of her home in the Central District.

Providers voted 3,363 to 258 to join SEIU Local 925, according to a union tally released yesterday. The union now covers 10,000 home-based child care operators around Washington state.

Traditionally, people who run child care out of their homes are not members of organized labor -- the union says this is only the second such vote in the nation. But, unions are increasingly targeting new industries as the nature of U.S. work shifts from manufacturing to services such as child care.

Like nearly every other U.S. union, the SEIU's newest bargaining unit also must grapple with the rising cost of health care. Providers must now buy insurance on the open market, and that expense leads many to forgo insurance.

The campaign was about more than money and access to health care. Providers hope to push the Department of Social and Health Services for better training and scholarships for workers.

"We feel if we have a stronger voice, then we can improve the quality of child care for all the kids in the state," said Donna Horne, president of the Washington State Family Child Care Association, who operates Kids of Heart in Everett.

P-I reporter Paul Nyhan can be reached at 206-448-8145 or paulnyhan@seattlepi.com.

George Will

My husband sent this to me, and I thought it was excellent.

Manners and Virtue in a Modern World
Nov 20, 2005
by George Will
Townhall.com

WASHINGTON -- Let's be good cosmopolitans and offer sociological explanations rather than moral judgments about students, The Washington Post reports, having sex during the day in high schools. Sociology discerns connections, and there may be one between the fact that teenagers are relaxing from academic rigors by enjoying sex in the school auditorium, and the fact that Americans in public soon will be able to watch pornography, and prime-time television programs such as ``Desperate Housewives'' -- and, for the high-minded, C-SPAN -- on their cell phones and video iPods.

The connection is this: Many people have no notion of propriety when in the presence of other people, because they are not actually in the presence of other people, even when they are in public.

With everyone chatting on cell phones when not floating in iPod-land, "this is an age of social autism, in which people just can't see the value of imagining their impact on others.'' We are entertaining ourselves into inanition. (There are Web sites for people with Internet addiction. Think about that.) And multiplying technologies of portable entertainments will enable "limitless self-absorption,'' which will make people solipsistic, inconsiderate and anti-social. Hence manners are becoming unmannerly in this "age of lazy moral relativism combined with aggressive social insolence."

So says Lynne Truss in her latest trumpet-blast of a book, Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door. Her previous wail of despair was Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, which established her as -- depending on your sensibility -- a comma and apostrophe fascist (the liberal sensibility) or a plucky constable combating anarchy (the conservative sensibility).

Good punctuation, she says, is analogous to good manners because it treats readers with respect. "All the important rules," she writes, "surely boil down to one: remember you are with other people; show some consideration." Manners, which have been called "quotidian ethics," arise from real or -- this, too, is important in lubricating social frictions -- feigned empathy.

"People," says Truss, "are happier when they have some idea of where they stand and what the rules are." But today's entitlement mentality, which is both a cause and a consequence of the welfare state, manifests itself in the attitude that it is all right to do whatever one has a right to do. Which is why acrimony has enveloped a coffee shop on Chicago's affluent North Side, where the proprietor posted a notice that children must "behave and use their indoor voices." The proprietor, battling what he calls an "epidemic" of anti-social behavior, told The New York Times that parents protesting his notice "have a very strong sense of entitlement."

A thoroughly modern parent, believing that children must be protected from feelings injurious to self-esteem, says: "Johnny, the fact that you did something bad does not mean you are bad for doing it." We have, Truss thinks, "created people who will not stand to be corrected in any way."

Furthermore, it is a brave, or foolhardy, man who shows traditional manners toward women. In today's world of "hair-trigger sensitivity," to open a door for a woman is to play what Truss calls Gallantry Russian Roulette: You risk a high-decibel lecture on gender politics.

One writer on manners has argued that a nation's greatness is measured not only by obedience of laws but also by "obedience to the unenforceable." But enforcement of manners can be necessary. The well-named David Stern, commissioner of the NBA, recently decreed a dress code for players. It is politeness to the league's customers who, weary of seeing players dressed in "edgy" hip-hop "street" or "gangsta" styles, want to be able to distinguish the Bucks and Knicks from the Bloods and Crips.

Stern also understands that players who wear "in your face" clothes of a kind, and in a manner, that evokes Sing Sing more than Brooks Brothers might be more inclined to fight on the floor and to allow fights to migrate to the stands, as happened last year.

Because manners are means of extending respect, especially to strangers, this question arises: Do manners and virtue go together? Truss thinks so, in spite of the possibility of "blood-stained dictators who had exquisite table manners and never used their mobile phones in a crowded train compartment to order mass executions."

Actually, manners are the practice of a virtue. The virtue is called civility, a word related -- as a foundation is related to a house -- to the word civilization.

George F. Will is a 1976 Pulitzer Prize winner, whose columns are syndicated in more than 400 magazines and newspapers worldwide.

Rhode Island

And how does UW know what constitutes a top notch day care? Are they in the business of education now? Everyone wants to climb the mountain of critics and expound and point fingers and pontificate, but few people get in the trenches and stay there. Maybe there are too many critics and not enough compliments.

United Way Proposes Rating System For Day-Care Centers
Centers Would Be Rated With Stars
November 21, 2005

How do you really know if your child's day-care facility is top notch?

All centers in Rhode Island have to be licensed, but a new system is being developed that will give parents more information.

The United Way of Rhode Island launched a program Monday that will develop a ratings system for every facility across the state, including home-based centers and after-school programs.

It will look at a center's staff qualifications, turnover rates and pay scales, as well as curricula
and learning environment.

The centers will be rated with stars, much like hotels. The more stars, the better the facility, at least in theory.

Eleven other states have already developed a rating system for child-care centers.

If you are a parent and want to be involved in creating the system, call Rhode Island Kids Count at (401) 351-9400.

Trinidad and Tobago


This is a delightful article because it demonstrates how teaching as well as students have changed over the years. There was once an absolutism that no longer exists, but at the same time, the article suggests how needs of children have changed, therefore changing the classroom and the duty of the teacher. When home is in chaos, the child relies on school to be his anchor. Teachers see more and more children who need to be anchored.

Trinidad and Tobago's News
Monday 21st November 2005

Tobagonian Wins Award: President Bats for Today’s Teachers

By JOAN RAMPERSAD

PRESIDENT George Maxwell Richards, speaking at the Teacher of the Year Awards function at the Cascadia Hotel on Saturday night, said teachers have been under siege to a very great extent, given the many problems that they have to deal with nowadays. Noting that the awards represent outstanding service in education, sports, culture, community and national development, President Richards said, “These areas bring to mind the completeness that the work of the teacher must demonstrate into power as to the development of children is concerned. “This is no more than what was expected of teachers in former times. The difference is that times have changed. Methods of teaching have changed as has curricular. Systems have adjusted, the traditional hours of schools are not what they use to be when some of us were at schools, and we certainly had no rights, which was not necessarily a bad thing at that time.”

President Richards said the teachers’ role as educator, guidance officers and counsellors, was very clear. He said in days gone by it was understood throughout the country that the teachers were one of the leading exemplars in the society and one would not enter the teaching profession without this understanding. However the President said, “Nowadays, we have an international instrument defining the rights of the child which has been adopted by many Third World states and which is intended for the protection of children. How it works, or the net effect of such an instrument, I am not in a position to comment on. Suffice it to say that our children are being nurtured through a starkly different world than how it was before.” President Richards has called for the problems to be tackled from the ground level starting with early childhood education. He warned that now is not the time to sign off from the job as responsibility is not transferable. Rather, he called on teachers to adopt innovative thinking and more than getting children to pass exams, they must get the children equipped for life after school.

Winning the award on the night was Tobagonian Phillip Anthony Rochford, who came with a prepared winning speech. He acknowledged the presence of the Almighty, adding that he has been blessed to be a citizen of TT, married to a lovely Tobagonian woman and thirdly to be chosen to serve in society as a teacher. Rochford said the profession requires a commitment and a labour of love. He too spoke of the turbulence of the external environment hence he feels that interaction with the church and communities can go a long way. He said, “We must ensure that our children are equipped to deal with the philosophies of our environment and I will ensure that all my students perform to that maximum potential and towards the development of TT.” Rochford, a graduate from the Valsayn Teachers’ College, began his teaching career in 1989 and now teaches at Lambeau Anglican School, where he serves as Dean, Sports Master, House Master, football assistant coach, coordinator of sports meetings and member of the Parent Teachers’ Association.

Earlier, Gary Woo Chong, representative of Mohammed Book Stores and Caribbean Educational Publishers, in his remarks said he was proud to recognise the dedication, care and patriotism of the nobel profession. He said that teachers were faced with enormous challenges but they are doing a fantastic job. “Great teachers understand that it is not only the hardware that matters but the software. The caring, understanding and the sacrifice of much of their personal lives, I believe, makes them superheroes,” Woo Chong said. Peter Gillette, Chairman of the Gillette Group of Companies, spoke of the late Dr Eric Williams’ famous speech that ended, “you carry the future of the nation in your school bags” as he noted the changes that the Ministry of Education is embarking on. He lauded the Minister Hazel Manning for budgeting for 3,000 computers in the schools’ system next year.

He said the new state of the art technology must augur well for the education system on the whole and that he is now looking towards the modern education environment, expressing his hope that teachers will embrace the technology. Gillette also called on teachers to continue the journey that Williams started many years ago. He ended by saying, “all teachers should be recognised for their contribution in building the nation.” Education Minister Hazel Manning said that her ministry was now engaged in a major reform exercise that is changing the face of education in TT. The focus is on all levels of quality education in the country. She said the ministry will be taking to Cabinet, a proposal for a four-year training programme at the UTT for persons who choose teaching as a career. The degree programme will deal with all the modern day issues necessary to teach effectively. She also spoke of the introduction of a Quality Incentive Award plan to recognise the contributions made towards quality teaching.

Santa Please!

If any of you are reading this from the school and are willing or able to do this, please respond and I will send your response to Faith's mom, Stacey.

As many of you know, Faith's dads family does a HUGE Christmas light display every year. This year they are in desparate need of a Santa for their Hot Chocolate Night, Saturday December 3rd. If anyone knows someone that plays Santa at a reasonable price could you please pass the info along to me?

Thanks,

Stacy

Unions in Minnesota


I think this is the wave of the future. The unprotected entrepreneur cannot hope to make a living and grasp much respect from a society that still regards childcare as a low income and low value job. I've read a lot about these union decisions and this is the first one I've posted. The problem is whether unionizing will drive the cost of childcare up so that poor families are stuck with nightmare childcare.


Charles Ramsay
Mesabi Daily News
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2005

HIBBING — The St. Louis County Board took a big step Tuesday in recognizing the right of county child care providers to organize into a union, but it also had to keep in line an apparent turf battle between two unions.

Representatives from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union both told the board about their plans to organize daycare providers in the county.

The board voted to authorize county staffers to meet with AFSCME, the AFL-CIO, or ChildCare Providers Together “on matters of mutual concern to the county and to home-based licensed child care providers,’’ according to county documents.

SEIU is organizing in 15 counties statewide “to empower providers to take on a new leadership role’’ for better working conditions and wages, said union political director Kristin Beckmann. She asked the board to delay taking action right away.


But Mary Theurer of AFSCME Council 5 asked the board to approve the resolution now. “I do not believe this should be delayed,’’ she said, as the union needed to organize now to contact state lawmaekrs for the upcoming March session. AFSCME had signed up more than 200 of the 400-some licensed providers in the county, she added.

Board Chair Peg Sweeney of Proctor noted that AFSCME had been organizing child care providers for months now, and had been working with the County Attorney’s Office to work out details. Commissioner Mike Forsman of Ely added that “the obvious is there is a turf battle.’’

Two licensed childcare providers from the Hibbing area at the meeting Tuesday voiced doubts about the best way to proceed right now.

Tabitha Gordon said she wanted “both unions to tell us what they have to offer.’’

Amy Newman, who has runs her own provider business for 12 years, added, “We don’t want some entity to choose our union.’’

It is important to provide better conditions and wages, she said, as providers are felling discouraged with cuts in aid to providers recently.

“Something needs to be done,’’ Newman said. ‘The kids we are caring for are tomorrow’s leaders.’’

The County Board also approved sending a letter to licensed providers telling them the board was not picking a union for them, and that they are free to make their choices. The letter, and final vote on the county’s resolution, will be before the board at its Dec. 13 meeting.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Toy Test

Here's another toy test that was done besides the one the Garden School was included in. They did it differently. The kind of toys we found the children liked had to do with the ability to play. Some children play well, and other don't know how. The ability to play comes from home, and a parents willingness to teach a child, at least the first child how to play.

Play is learned. It is not intrinsic. The idea that play is something children will be able to do unattended is a wrong idea. Too often, children are left on their own to play, and what usually happens is destruction and mess.

For a long time, the idea that childcare is a place where children simply play and everything is "child directed" is about the dumbest childcare scheme I can think of. The obvious and very predictable outcome for this is a loss of the preschool years. Children from "child directed" programs are going off to school as giant infants.

Teaching children is the heart of good parenting and good teachers - that's why teachers are called teachers!

Judy

Herb Weisbaum
Toy Test 2005 Results
November 21, 2005 By Herb Weisbaum

SEATTLE

We tested 383 toys for this Today’s Toy Test 2005. We had more than 8,000 children at 83 child care centers around the country play with the toys for four weeks. While they played, their teachers watched and rated the toys for us on everything from play value to durability.

Here are a few of the winners in each age category. You can find the complete list of winners on my Web site http://www.consumerman.com/ -- just look for the Toy Test 2005 logo at the upper left of the home page.

TODDLER: For us, the toddler means children from about 18 months to 3 years old. Toys with small parts (which could present a choking hazard to a toddler) and those recommended for children 3 and up, were tested in preschool classrooms.

Check-Up Time Elmo by Fisher-Price Friends, $20

Few patients have more instant kid-appeal than Elmo. He’s a friendly and quite silly patient for little doctors. For instance, take his temperature and he says: “not so hot, not so cold, Elmo’s just right! This set comes with an electronic stethoscope to check his heart, a thermometer to take his temperature, a bandage to cover his boo-boo (it sticks on with Velcro), and a tissue to help him blow his nose.

Weebles Weebly Wobbly Tree House by Playskool, $30

The Weebles have a new place to hang out. This tree house has lots of things to do, from the crow’s net on top to the musical water wheel below. The set comes with three Weebles figures, who like to ride the slide from the second story to the ground floor. Electronic sounds and music add to the fun.

PRESCHOOL: We tested 141 toys in the Preschool category this year. For us, preschool means toys appropriate for children ages 3 to 6 year old. Toys designed for kids 6 and up were tested in the school age category.

Touch & Discover Alphabet Town by VTech, $20

Alphabet Town is fun and educational. It has eight interactive activities: letters, spelling, vocabulary, counting, phonics, and telling time. Kids respond to the friendly electronic voice by pushing on the chunky light-up buttons. When they want to tell the time, they just turn the hands on the clock. Alphabet town is also filled with songs.

Poster Painter Activity Set by Alex, $20

Parents will like this paint set as much as the kids because it’s fun not messy. The colors come in brushless containers with a sponge on top, so there’s nothing to spill! The set, which comes in a see-through plastic carrying case, includes 8 poster painters and a drawing pad that has 48 pictures ready to color.

SCHOOL AGE: We tested 207 toys in the School Age category this year. The kids who tested these toys were aged 6 and up.

Crayola Color Explosion by Binney & Smith, $8

Here’s a different concept in drawing. Just rub the special marker over the black paper and a picture appears in bold colors. The marker removes the blank ink to reveal the colors already there. This is fun & very reasonably priced. Each Color Explosion set comes with a 20-page black paper color reveal tablet, stencil page and 3 color markers.

Super Mondo Inside-Out Ball by Play Visions, $10

It’s wacky, it’s silly and kids love it! The brightly-colored blob is smooth on one side and has spines on the other. It also feels strange - cool to the touch. So what do the kids do with this soft, gooey, colorful blob? They put it on their head, wrap it around their wrists, put it on other kids’ heads, roll it around the floor, throw it, squeeze it, squish it, and stretch it. Yes, it’s washable.

Monday, November 21, 2005

New Mexico


I thought you would like this inside view into early childhood classrooms. This is what it is really like.

Current- Argus
Carlsbad New Mexico
A feast of knowledge ECEC Students Learn Thanksgiving Traditions
By Erin Green Current-Argus Staff Writer
Nov 20, 2005

Turkey and stuffing, gravy, beans, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, and mashed potatoes are good, but for Seth Tanner, the best of all is dessert.

"I like pumpkin pie because sometimes they put whipped cream on it," Tanner said.

Tanner will be careful not to eat too much, though.

"I just eat one plate or two," he said. "I don't go over three because I don't want to get sick and have to go to the hospital."

He and his classmates in Nancy Burt's room at the Early Childhood Education Center spent time last week learning about Thanksgiving, its history and traditions. They've learned Thanksgiving songs and made drawings of turkeys.

Some classes were creating their own feasts made up of cut-up fresh fruit, while others were learning about the history of the holiday by re-creating the voyage of the Mayflower and dressing up as pilgrims and Indians.

Burt's class made friendship turkeys, with cut-out construction-paper handprints of their friends' hands as the feathers. As with the other classes, they're also doing drawings of pilgrim and Indian children.

Autumn Onsurez, busy coloring a picture in class, summed up Thanksgiving, saying in her house, the holiday is kind of like a circus.

"It's a holiday where we eat turkey and we have a feast," she said, explaining what Thanksgiving is about. "We have salad, and we have potatoes, and we have beans."

Classmate Garron Burgess said he's looking forward to spending time with his cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. He also gets to help his mom set the table for the holiday meal and places the candles on the table.

In Dianna Hutchison's class, the children were making Thanksgiving placemats, gluing cut-outs of turkey shapes onto blue paper, then coloring in the feathers.

Carefully cutting out her shapes, Verity Burdine said she especially enjoys having turkey on Thanksgiving.

When asked how to prepare a turkey, Burdine's answer was simple.

"You have to put it in the oven," she said.

Turkey wasn't the only food item on the minds of some of the children, though.

For Brianna Jaure, Thanksgiving isn't about turkey at all.

"I like eating cheese on Thanksgiving," she said.

But for others, like Sean Phillip Ford, any type of meat would be good.

"I like turkey," he said. "I like chicken. I like fish, too."

And after everyone is finished eating, many of the children said they spend their Thanksgiving afternoons watching football on television.

"We eat, and then we watch television," Tanner said.

A Little Thanksgiving

This picture is from Fort Donelson, Tennessee and is on the monument to the soldiers who died there. It was the first of the Ulysses Grant's successful campaign against the South. Terry, my husband and I traveled there this Autumn, and we were moved by the beauty of the spot and the sadness that lingers there. We are thankful to be Americans, to be free.


Mrs. Clonmacnoise rang the lunch bell and silenced all the children. She stood in front of the group and got their attention. When all the children were quiet, she said softly, “We’re going to do something different today with after lunch grace. When I count to three, I want you to say, ‘Thank you God’ as loud as you can holler and then be quiet and listen.”

The children all looked around. Some giggled at each other. Some whispered to his or her neighbor but all kept their eyes on Mrs. Clonmacnoise to make sure she wasn’t kidding, because she’s the one who always makes everyone quiet.

“One, two, three,” said Mrs. Clonmacnoise, and the children all called out “Thank you God,” as loud as they could taking the roof nearly off the building. Then they were quiet.

“Do you think God heard you?”

A lot of the children looked at one another and finally a full agreement sounded among them. “Yes,” they chanted.

“God always hears you. It’s always nice to thank God for all that He does for you. Now it’s time to go outside and play.”

Mrs. Clonmacnoise went outside with the children thinking about all the things she was thankful to God for: the chance to live, her faith, her husband, her four children, her daughter and son in law, and her six grandchildren – two on the way - and the wonderful old home that draws them home on the holidays.

“Life is a very beautiful thing,” she chanted at Mrs. St. Peter’sburg who agreed.

“It is, and the children think so too. Just look at their smiles. They love just running and playing in the sunshine and knowing that the days here will be filled with love and fun.”

“Are they making any connection with the first Thanksgiving?” asked Mrs. Clonmacnoise.

“Well, Ryan said he was grateful for the pilgrims who came over on the Cauliflower.”

“Well it’s always nice to know that he’s thinking.”

“The question is, Mrs. Clonmacnoise, about what. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.”

“Well, he’s got a nice family, so he’s one of the lucky ones. I always feel sorry for the children who seem to have the least. You know, no real family, no ties, no expectations.”

“That’s the hard part. When there are no expectations, no continuity, no family life, these kids just drift emotionally. You can hear the lack of foundation in what they say. Their conversation amounts to fantasy and super heroes. It’s all fiction made from TV and movies. It’s made to be important because what should be important is missing in their young lives.”

“Yes, and there are some real foundation blocks missing in a lot of their lives,” lamented Mrs. St. Peter’sburg.

“There are, but luckily, we’re a durable lot. If we weren’t those pilgrims would have never made it, cauliflower or not.”

Just then Josie came running over and threw her arms around Mrs. Clonmacnoise. “I love you,” she said brightly with a big smile and a toss of her bright red hair. She ran off to play.

“That’s grace in abundance,” said Mrs. St. Peter’sburg looking after Josie, “And of all our treasures, the blessed love of a child is the thing we should be most grateful for.”

“It’s a lovely reminder that God really does hear us.”

Kenya


I think this is so interesting. As a writer it's even more interesting.

Sunday Kenya Times
Focused, Intelligent and Modern


By Charles Njoroge

Dressed in a stripped navy blue suit, skirt and blouse, with well fitting closed shoes, she has a fancy necklace, sparkling earings, bracelets and rings all in excellent synchrony. She calmly sits in her office at Makini School cutting the image of a confident, composed and serious woman.

“Yes, I have to reorganise myself. Losing a husband is like losing one limb of your body and it takes time for one to adjust to doing with the remaining limp,” says Mrs Elizabeth Mary Okelo, Executive Director of Makini Schools.

Her office is neatly decorated with flowers and a well-spread carpet. It has executive furniture, with files well arranged in the cabinets. The portraits of her late husband are strategically placed on her table. A quick glance at the wall tells it all - certificates of the awards she won both in local and international forums.

Her latest achievement came this month when she received a certificate of 'Fellow of the Institute of Bankers.' This is the highest honour in the banking sector.

She takes pride in her achievements, and above all when her school excels in academics. I feel honoured and privileged for the awards I have won, and I thank God for that. My pride is to see Makini students excel in academic and general life. I will remain committed to the school and see that we remain at the top,” she says.

Mrs Okelo cuts the image of an intelligent, focused and modern woman. Her grooming, speech and choice of topics tells it all. A woman who has intimate grasp of issues. Her beauty, elegance and way of dressing can not be ignored.

I jokingly ask her the secret behind her beauty. She laughs and explains that it's all because of regular exercises.

She maintains a friendly, social, jovial and down to earth mien. These are some of her notable attributes.

The lady creates an inspiring atmosphere for an interview, remains a keen listener and answers questions posed to her in an intelligent way. She talks much about her family, which she says has been supportive and very close to her.

“Just look around, at least every year we meet and take photographs,” she points at some photographs hanging on the wall in her office. She smiles broadly as she talks of her brothers like the Vice President Moody Awori. “My brothers are outgoing, humble and dignified. All of them have a role to play in the society, for instance, you can see one busy selling bananas.”

Mrs Okelo says she is lucky to be born in a privileged family and has had a rewarding experience in her life. “I thank God because I have had a good life, I have enjoyed my childhood and marriage life,” she says.

Then she talks about her childhood ambition, to study psychology but was discouraged by her parents. “They questioned where I would be employed and that discouraged me.”

She does not fail to acknowledge her late husband whom she says was a great man, humble, dignified and God fearing. “He was my mentor and my teacher. We prayed together and shared a lot in life.”

Managing Makini Schools without Dr Okelo has been a challenge as she admits. However, she appreciates the support she gets from her family, friends, teachers, parents and students. Her son Joseph helps with administrative duties at the school. “In fact teachers, parents and students have worked extra hard even after the demise of Daktari. We hope that we will continue excelling," she says with a sense of confidence. It is out of such commitment that saw the school took first position during 2004 KCPE.

Asked what is behind Makini’s success, she discloses that they put God first, read widely and work extra hard. She also notes that her relations with the parents, teachers and students remains intact.

Like any other person, she has her role models. They include Dr Edward Owour of Ministry of Repentance and Holiness, the World Bank Country Representative, Dr Collins Bruce, and his wife Prof. Levrne Bruce. “Look, these are young people who are professionals, talented and have given their lives to God. They preach holiness and Christian values,” she observes.

She stresses that serving the community and caring for the less privileged comes to her naturally.

Back as a young girl growing up in the village, she learnt to associate herself with and care for the less privileged. “My love for children remains passionate and it is out of this that I came up with the idea of establishing Makini Schools - to give them quality education, serve and care for them.”

She becomes so attached to her faith and says she has learnt to live and emulate Jesus Christ.
In every statement she makes, she does not fail to mention the name of God and says that as a dedicated Christian, she believes God has a plan for every individual. “When I look at an individual, I look at him or her as a human being and not at his financial background.” She adds: “Material things are not as important as spiritual values. If anything, all of us are equal before God.”

She talks about qualities she likes and dislikes in human beings. “I hate people who are proud and arrogant, thinking that they have achieved everything by themselves. I like and strongly believe in hard-work, honesty and transparency,” she says.

Her busy schedule sees her wake up as early as 4.30 am to pray and read the Bible, which she says she is currently studying. She reports to her office at 8.00 am. The little time she has to spare is spent to read widely, especially gospel materials. Most of her day is spent in meetings or undertaking her usual administrative duties at the school.

Her professional background is itself rich and overwhelming. Mrs Okelo, is an accomplished banker. In fact, she is the first woman bank manager in the country. She is also an educationist, entrepreneur and a gender rights crusader. She boasts of vast and diverse experience in local and international finance, micro-enterprise and international service in the public, private and NGO sectors.

Mrs Okelo served as the first woman advisor to the president of the African Development Bank (ADB). She was also the founding chairperson of the Kenya Women Finance Trust. She was also consultant to the Vice President of Uganda on establishment of Centres of Excellence in Africa among others.

She has been able to win many awards locally and internationally among them SHE Tribute Award, International Educator of the Year Award, and Presidential Award - Moran of the Burning Spear - for her contribution to education development in the country.

Mrs Okelo does not fail to acknowledge other women achievers, some of them who she says were her classmates in high school. “We were a class of 13 student pioneers of 'A' levels at Alliance Girls High School, and all of us have succeeded in life. ” She singles out Lady Justice Effie Owour - the first lady justice in Kenya, Prof Frida Karani - former Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Nairobi, and Elizabeth Masiga - former Permanent Secretary.

Her greatest challenge remains the agony and pain she is undergoing after losing her beloved husband. “It is my greatest challenge, losing somebody so suddenly. I am trying to come to terms with such a great loss.”

Born in Nambale, Busia District, Western Province, she says she comes from a large family of 17 children, 10 boys and 7 girls, some who died. Her parents were Canon Jeremiah Awori, who was a pastor and Mariam Awori who was a teacher and a nurse.

She says she was brought up in a strong Christian family and was taught all the fundamental values of Christianity. “My parents were dedicated Christians and strict disciplinarians. They taught us responsibilities and nurtured our individuality,” she says.

The family, as she narrates, has some key personalities in the society. She talks about her elder brother Wycliffe W. Awori who was a freedom fighter, the late Prof Nelson Awori who was the first African to perform a kidney transplant; Vice President Moody Awori; Hon. Aggrey Awori, who is an MP in Uganda among others.

When asked to comment about her wealth, she dismisses it saying: “I am rich spiritually, and do not bother much about material things. My grandfather was the one who was rich. He was a hunter and engaged in ivory trade.”

At one point, she resorts humour when she says her parents would instruct them to work yet they had many workers at home. “We were not given any special treatment and that never made us lesser of human beings. We were treated like any other children in the village.” She continues: “By then there were no special homes and schools for the disabled. These people would be brought home and we would be asked to take care of them.”

She attended Nambale Primary School for her primary education, before joining Butere Girls High School and later Alliance Girls High School for her 'O' and 'A' levels. She later joined Makerere University of East Africa, where she did her BA in History, a field that was considered as male domain. She also has a post-graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Froebel College Dublin, Ireland and a Diploma from Institute of Bankers in London.

While in London, she got engaged to the late Dr. Pius Okelo who was then studying for his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Electrical Engineering at Imperial University of London and graduated with a first class honours degree. They got engaged and married in 1968. They have been blessed with three children Joseph who holds a Masters and Bachelor of Arts first class honours degree; Lawrence who has a Masters and Bachelor of Arts first class honours degree in mechanical engineering; and Clare, a medical doctor who has also studied philosophy. Her two sons are married and have children. Clare is engaged to Alistar, an electronic engineer.

“I have four grandchildren who are the joy of my life. I enjoy every minute I spent with them playing and singing together,” she says with a smile.

And for young girls who aspire to take after Mrs Okelo, she advises them to work hard, have a vision in life and above all trust in God.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Sunday's Child


I love Sunday around the world. (The picture is of Mars) This week I've picked out some really remote places. I love the pictures. Lately, I've been visiting other child care blogs, and am writing for several including MetroDayCare.com and Daycaremanager.com.

What I have noticed is there is no news, no around the world who's doing what and why, no information concerning childcare, child conditions and children's news on any of them. This blog is a reference place for news and topics on childcare.

Please visit the links. There is shopping, and there are other children's resources. I hope you enjoy it.

Judy

Viet Nam


Thought this was interesting. I wonder what it would have been like if American influence had remained.

Nhan Dan Viet Nam

NA adopts Law on Child Care, Protection and Education

The National Assembly on Monday passed the revised Law on Child Care, Protection and Education which governs the basic rights and responsibilities of children and the duties of families, the State and society in protecting, caring and educating children.

The revised law, which will take effect from January 1, 2005, includes five chapters and 60 articles, an increase of 34 articles as compared to the 1992 law.

Item four of Article 27 states that the Government will allocate part of its annual budget to the Public Health Ministry and provincial People’s Committees to ensure free medical care for children under six in central and local health care units. The law has one new chapter governing the care, protection and education for children in special difficulties such as orphans, disabled and street children, Agent Orange victims and HIV/AIDS patients.

Apart from the rights that protect them, children are not allowed to drop out of school or live on the street, gamble, use alcohol, tobacco or other stimulants that are dangerous to their health, or exchange and use depraved cultural products or aggressive toys.

On the same day, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo presented a report on the revised draft Law on Forest Protection and Development, stressing the necessity to issue forest insurance policies and set up a fund for forest protection and development, thus easing the State budget’s burden and contributing to the country’s international integration.

The bill includes eight chapters and 86 articles, one chapter less and 32 articles more from the existing law. It details the planning process, the ownership and rights of forest use, responsibility of individuals and organisations related to forests and forest protection.

A number of articles in the existing law have become obsolete and situation warrants urgent revision to secure sustainable forest management. The law has over the past 10 years helped increase forest coverage to 35.8% in 2002 from 28% in 1992. The country has planted another1.9 million ha of forests in the last decade and preserved 9.8 million ha of original forests. Presently, 7.35 ha of bare hills are left untapped across the country.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Mai Ai Truc read a report regarding separate plans to use land by 2005 and 2010. It is expected that a total of 29,552,700 ha of land will be used by 2010, accounting for 89.76 of the natural land and an increase of 5,911,400 ha as compared to 2000.

Singapore


I find it interesting that America's Christian activity is everywhere first.

Islamonline.com
Calls for Better Child Care in Disaster-hit Asia

"We need to strengthen our collaborative efforts… be committed to help the children rebuild their lives," Balakrishnan said.

SINGAPORE, November 16, 2005

Disaster-prone Asian countries must create a regional mechanism to help rebuild the lives of children when a disaster strikes, an international conference on child protection was told Wednesday, November 16.

Singapore's Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports said that the December 26 Tsunami disaster left thousands of children as orphans and vulnerable to abuse and disease, Malaysia’s Bernama News Agency reported.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said that although other Asian countries had been quick in their response following the disaster, more should be done to help the affected children in the long term.

"As a region vulnerable to natural disasters, we need to strengthen our collaborative efforts on early warning systems and be committed to help the children rebuild their lives when disaster strikes," he said.

He was speaking at the three-day 6th Asian Regional International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (Ispcan) Conference which opened Wednesday.

Ispcan, based in Illinois, was founded in 1977 to support individuals and organizations working to protect children from abuse and neglect worldwide.

Asia’s worst earthquake in decades and the resulting tsunami in the Indian Ocean left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced in several Asian countries.

The Indonesian government estimated that 35,000 children have been made homeless, orphaned or separated from their parents in Aceh, where Muslims make 98 percent of the population.

While acknowledging the near impossibility of predicting tsunamis, especially those triggered by strong earthquakes, a Thai daily had said earlier that good forecasting, early warning systems and education could have lessened the scope of Sunday’s disaster and saved lives.

Thai daily The Nation has reported countries in South and Southeast Asia must put in place without further delay an effective international communications system to ensure quick dissemination of information throughout the region.

Challenges
Thousands of Asian children have lost their families.

Balakrishnan also spoke on the new challenges facing Asia arising from its economic progress and tourism industry.

"The impact of this progress on our children is significant. But there are also new challenges that we face... child exploitation is one of them," he said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) was aware of the challenges and had recently reviewed their positions on tourism to put children's interests as a top priority, he added.

"The 10 Asean countries are now working on the Asean Traveller's Code to promote responsible tourism, including preventing the abuse and exploitation of people."

Asians in areas battered by the killer tsunami, triggered by a 9.0 magnitude underwater quake, are falling prey to proselytizing and human trafficking.

Immediately after the tidal waves devastated several countries, a number of Christian missionary groups rushed to the affected areas to offer not only relief aid, but more importantly spiritual counselling.

Gospel for Asia, a group seeking to train and send 100,000 native missionaries into the most un-reached areas of Asia, was among the first on the scene of the tsunami disaster in India and Sri Lanka.

According to its Web site, GFA’s volunteers are working around the clock to bring food, clean water, medicines, clothing, shelter, and spiritual counselling “in the name of Jesus” to those who lost everything in the killer tidal waves.

Overall, Balakrishnan said, Asia had made great strides to improve children's lives this past decade.

"The latest 'State of the World's Children' report by UNICEF indicates that most Asian countries have significantly reduced their infant mortality rate for children under five years old since 1990," he added.

The Asian sub-continent was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake that killed more than 25,000 people in Pakistan and 1,300 in India, leaving some 2.5 million people homeless and destroying entire towns across an area of 20,000 square kilometres.

The UN said that the trail of devastation caused by the quake was "beyond belief."

India


Can we imagine how little less than one percent of our total budget spent on women and children's health and other issues would mean in our own country of plenty?

The Hindu
Karat Dismayed Over Govt.'s Neglecting Women and Child Care
Bangalore, Nov. 9

Expressing dismay over the governments neglecting women and child care, General Secretary Prakash Karat, today demanded that top priority be given to programmes targeted towards women and child welfare.

"It is unfortunate that in a developed country like India, women and child care is one of the most negelcted areas.The governments should demonstrate political will to accord priority to these areas," he said while participating as a chief guest at the 5th All India Conference of Federation of Anganwadi workers and Helpers here.

He regretted that the national expenditure on health care was only 0.9 per cent of the total budget, and demanded more allocation for health care especially of women and children.
Karat wanted the Centre and state government to consider the demands of Anganwadi workers who have been playing a vital role in implementing ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme).

Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, who inaugurated the conference, promised Anganwadi workers that he would consider the demand for regularising their services, a measure that would cost Rs 7.5 crores annually to the exchequer.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, virtually supporting the demands of anganwadi workers, said he would prevail upon the coalition government to enhance their salaries.
Gowda said anganwadi workers wages should be enhanced to the level of primary and secondary school teachers.

Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Bhagirathi Marulasiddanagouda, also spoke.

Bahrain


From what my daughter says, this is a very poor country with lots of social issues. This is a good sign.

Bahrain News Agency
Cairo to host childhood forum
11. 15 2005

Cairo, Egypt will host the Arab Civil Society Forum for Childhood on 27 29 November, with the participation of a large number of Civil Society Representatives, regional and global organizations in addition to experts from Research and Media Centers.

The forum will be organized in cooperation with GCC program for Support of UN Development Bodies, UNICEF Office for the Middle East and Africa and the Arab League.

The forum aims at exploring civil society role and setting child care priorities, where 40 experiences in combating poverty, providing health care and adequate education, developing early childhood and integrating children will be studied.

Australia





I love this kind of news story because it seems so far from home, and yet it's so near to waht we do every day.

National Indigenous Times
Australia

Shepparton to get new child care
Nov 10, 2005

Premier Steve Bracks has announced $500,000 towards a new Children's Centre in Shepparton.

Mr Bracks said the State Government grant to the Batdja Aboriginal Corporation would help fund the $1.18 million merger of the Batdja Preschool and Child Care Centre and the Lidje Child Care Centre to boost the range of children's services for young families living in the area.

"The new children's centre will come about from the merger of the Batdja centre in Harold Street with the Lidje centre in Moorroopna. The new centre will be based in Harold Street.

"The Lidje centre currently provides childcare places for 65 children. The new expanded centre will also offer a kindergarten program, long day care, occasional and outside school hours care, maternal and child health and parenting programs and a meeting room for parents.

Bhutan



As you can see from the map, the country of Bhutan is high in the Himalayas. We take prenatal care for granted in this country, but in places like Bhutan, it's a new concept.

Mother & child care: challenges remain
November 03

Kuensel on line
On a two week working visit to Bhutan, from October 16 to 30, the Regional Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in South Asia, Ms.Ceceila Lotse, said that Bhutanese women and children were blessed with a favorable and a committed government working to fulfill their needs and aspirations.

Ms. Lotse, who visited schools and health units in Punakha and Wangduephodrang, said the intention of the visit was to go around the country to understand and see the developmental activities, especially involving women and children.

“It is heartening to see that the government’s continued effort to extend education to all has been successful,” she said.

The non-formal education (NFE) programme, according to the regional director, was a blessing for those deprived of early education. “It is great to see that people are made to feel they are not left behind in a society that is developing quickly,” she said.

The regional director, however, pointed out that challenges remain. For instance, Bhutan’s harsh topography posed problems where children had to walk long distances to reach school.

“These are some of the challenges where UNICEF and the government can work collaboratively,” she said.

While Bhutan’s maternal mortality rate was high in the region, Ms. Lotse said that the policy decision made to introduce institutional delivery was commendable. “The main challenge that remains is to convince expectant mothers to visit the available health units on time,” she said, adding that this would tremendously help to bring down the high rate.

Ms. Lotse, who met with the prime minister, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, the chief justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye and the cabinet ministers, also expressed her satisfaction on Bhutan’s commitment to realise the provisions of the Convention on Rights of Child (CRC) of which Bhutan is a signatory.

“CRC is relatively a new instrument and there is need to incorporate ways to create awareness among the people about it,” she said.

By Karma Chodenkchoden@kuensel.com.bt

Saturday, November 19, 2005

The Garden School Tattler


Friday was a truly wonderful day, filled with emotion and children's pranks, and anticipation and just about every passion I can think of.

When you think about it, we're really blessed. The little Thanksgiving play Miss Stacey and Miss Rachel wrote, designed, directed and made costumes and backdrops for was delightful. I was so proud of them. It takes a lot of affection, not to mention the work to get a children's play off the ground. It's a huge undertaking and I can say, it's always worth doing.

I was doing crowd control, and I didn't hear Seth, who got out of the stage curtain and took one look at the audience said, "I'm not doing this." What a lark. Kids are so funny.

I want to thank parents for bringing all the food. It was a delicious spread. I don't think I've seen such a feast for a long time. We still have a huge cake that we will use for treats this week.

Getting together with parents every month during the school year is important. It's a time when we can get to know some of the families. When grandmothers, and grandfathers visit the school, it means a lot to the children and to the teachers.

Next week the children will attend regular classes except on Wednesday when they will bake cranberry bread for their families as their contribution to Thanksgiving dinner. We have been practicing several Thanksgiving songs, and working on some art work.

We will be out on Friday.

Aidan's grandmother asked for the cranberry bread recipe:

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
salt
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg
2 oranges ground up (cut the orange slightly askew of the center all four cuts, and you can easily remove the webbing.)
2 cups cranberries raw
1 cup+ nuts - I used walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 can fruit - I used mandarin oranges, but pineapple would be good too.

Any dried fruit works. Coconut makes the muffins lighter.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Some Ladies Humor for Saturday



TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND

10. Cats' facial expressions.

9. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.

8. Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.

7. Fat clothes.

6 Taking a car trip without trying to beat yourbest time.

5. The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.

4. Cutting your hair to make it grow.

3. Eyelash curlers.

2. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

1. Other women

Some Laughs for Saturday


This is closer to home, and made me laugh. Judy

"ESTROGEN ISSUES"10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE "ESTROGEN ISSUES"

1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.

2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.

3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.

4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.

5. You're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: "How's my driving-call 1- 800-".

6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.

7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from "outer space".

8. You can't believe they don't make a tampon bigger than Super Plus.

9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.

10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday..

Something Fun for Saturday


I thought these were hilarious. Of course, I've been through all this, and remembering back is much more fun than trying to imagine.

Judy

Pregnancy Q &A &more!

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.